I’ve left Athens on a Seabourn cruise for a fortnight around the Greek Islands and up the Croatian coast and have just had the most wonderful day on the Greek Island of Patmos.

The Island of Patmos from the Monastery of Saint John on the top of the hill.

During the Roman rule in 95 AD, exiled ‘Saint John the Divine’ reached the island and wrote the ‘The Book of Revelations,’ a book of the New Testament in a cave.

The Grotto of the Apocalypse is where the ‘Book of Revelations’ was written halfway between the port and the top of the island. The cave is at the back of this building.

The Grotto of the Apocalypse is situated halfway up the mountain between the seaside village of Skala and the capital Chora, at the top of the island. It is believed here, Saint John received his vision enabling him to write the ‘Book of Revelations’.

Patmos has the highest number of churches and Monasteries than any other place in the world, with the most impressive being ‘Saint John the Theologian Monastery,‘ on the highest part of Chora, the capital.

This is part of the ‘Saint John Monastery.’

It resembles a Byzantine castle and construction was started in 1088.

In the Monastery overlooking the town, a Greek Orthodox Priest looks on.

A museum housed in the Monastery has priceless treasures including manuscripts, silverware and liturgical objects.

In 1999, UNESCO declared the cave a joint World Heritage Site together with the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian.

As well as these sites of religious significance, there are a number of great beaches including Kampou where we had a leisurely afternoon swim before getting back on boat, a home away from home, Seabourn Odyssey.

Kampou Beach

Getting around

There is a great bus service on the island that will get you up to the monastery and to the beaches but for more flexibility strike a deal with one of the local taxi drivers. A fixed price for a few hours is the way to go.